"We have made excellent progress over the past five years," George Sheldon, acting assistant secretary of ACF, said in a statement. "But what this report tells me is that we still have 681,000 children out there who need our help."

The most common types of maltreatment were neglect (78.5%), physical abuse (17.6%), and sexual abuse (9.1%).

The agency estimated 1,570 children died from abuse and neglect. Texas had the most fatalities at 246; Montana reported no such deaths.

The national estimate of child fatalities because of maltreatment has fluctuated over the past five years. The estimate was 1,580 in 2010 and 1,720 in 2007.

The report also included descriptions of the families. Of the perpetrators, 53.6% were women. Of the children reported as victims, 11.2% had a disability.

Jim Hmurovich, president of Prevent Child Abuse America, says stress in the family, such as losing a job, and frustration with a child's behavior are major factors for abuse.

"The idea that a child is being abused should be unthinkable -- not just unacceptable," he adds. "We all have to make sure that every child is protected from abuse and has a chance to grow up healthy."